COMPARE & CONTRAST
For the modern-day church to operate in a New Testament administration, there has to be a new mindset. Let's create a clear comparison between the man-made pastoral church and the Christ-ordained apostolic (5-fold) church; they are two COMPLETELY different "operating systems". Trying to get a pastoral church to operate in a 5-fold administration is like trying to run Apple software on a Windows PC ... they are simply not compatible!
In order to compare and contrast, I want to outline three (3) basic components of ministry:
I. The Goal of Ministry
II. The Role of The Saints
III. The Role of Leadership
THE GOAL OF MINISTRTY
The PASTORAL CHURCH is NEEDS-driven. A true pastor wants to make sure that every member of his flock is fully cared for. I learned a phrase in my Master's studies that sums-up the pastoral approach to church administration ...
"Preach to a broken heart and you will never lack for an audience."
It's a good thing to meet needs. There are times when all of us need a pastor to comfort and encourage us. But if that is the primary gift within the church, we have a REAL problem. God has far more for His children than to simply be comforted and well-fed!
In comparison, the APOSTOLIC CHURCH is VISION-driven. In an apostolic 5-fold administration, your needs WILL be ministered to, but more importantly, you will develop a full awareness of your personal calling in life ... your Kingdom destiny! In a 5-fold environment, the goal is for every believer, every Saint of God, to be trained and equipped to advance into the fullness of his/her destiny.
THE ROLE OF THE SAINTS
The PASTORAL CHURCH views the saints as "members"; worse yet, as laymen (discussed in last months blog). As sad as it sounds, laymen are viewed, thus treated as "amateurs" ... 2nd tier Christians. Ministry is not their responsibility; that is what the pastors get paid for. It's OK for laymen to do some low-level ministry assignments approved-of by the pastor, but if they REALLY want to be acknowledged as ministers, they need to go to seminary to be formally trained.
In comparison, the APOSTOLIC CHURCH recognizes ALL Christians as "ministers". Every single believer is called to do the works of Jesus, and it is the role of the 5-fold administration to train and equip them to do so! The bottom line is simple ... if the saints of the church are not ministering effectively, leadership is failing!
*************************
I believe that The Role of Leadership is SO important, that I will write specifically about it in next month's blog!
In order to compare and contrast, I want to outline three (3) basic components of ministry:
I. The Goal of Ministry
II. The Role of The Saints
III. The Role of Leadership
THE GOAL OF MINISTRTY
The PASTORAL CHURCH is NEEDS-driven. A true pastor wants to make sure that every member of his flock is fully cared for. I learned a phrase in my Master's studies that sums-up the pastoral approach to church administration ...
"Preach to a broken heart and you will never lack for an audience."
It's a good thing to meet needs. There are times when all of us need a pastor to comfort and encourage us. But if that is the primary gift within the church, we have a REAL problem. God has far more for His children than to simply be comforted and well-fed!
In comparison, the APOSTOLIC CHURCH is VISION-driven. In an apostolic 5-fold administration, your needs WILL be ministered to, but more importantly, you will develop a full awareness of your personal calling in life ... your Kingdom destiny! In a 5-fold environment, the goal is for every believer, every Saint of God, to be trained and equipped to advance into the fullness of his/her destiny.
THE ROLE OF THE SAINTS
The PASTORAL CHURCH views the saints as "members"; worse yet, as laymen (discussed in last months blog). As sad as it sounds, laymen are viewed, thus treated as "amateurs" ... 2nd tier Christians. Ministry is not their responsibility; that is what the pastors get paid for. It's OK for laymen to do some low-level ministry assignments approved-of by the pastor, but if they REALLY want to be acknowledged as ministers, they need to go to seminary to be formally trained.
In comparison, the APOSTOLIC CHURCH recognizes ALL Christians as "ministers". Every single believer is called to do the works of Jesus, and it is the role of the 5-fold administration to train and equip them to do so! The bottom line is simple ... if the saints of the church are not ministering effectively, leadership is failing!
*************************
I believe that The Role of Leadership is SO important, that I will write specifically about it in next month's blog!
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